California Highway Patrol press release:

On Jan. 4, 2021, at 5:17 p.m., a 63-year-old male out of Redway, California was driving a blue 2017 Chevy Silverado pickup truck on US-101 Southbound, south of Redcrest when he drove off the west roadway edge.

The Chevy traversed a steep embankment and collided head-on into a tree before coming to rest on its wheels at the bottom of the embankment. The male driver and only occupant of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

At the time of the collision, the roadway surface was wet due to recent rainfall. The driver was wearing his seatbelt, and DUI as a factor will be determined upon the completion of the collision investigation.

The California Highway Patrol Garberville Area office is investigating this traffic collision.